Tag Archives: Ana de Armas Hands of stone

Not long ago GQ Magazine made the observation, or maybe prediction, that Ana de Armas “. . . is taking over Hollywood”. A fairly extravagant statement, but in this case, where there’s smoke, there’s definitely fire. Ana de Armas is a small Cuban force to be reckoned with.

Ana was born in 1988 in Havana, grew up there and at the age of fourteen was accepted to the National Theatre School, a highly prestigious institution that takes only twelve new students each year.

Precisely what talents and traits were developed prior to that are mostly unknown at this point, and her first appearance onscreen came after only two years, in a film called Una rosa de Francia. In 2007 she landed major roles in two more Spanish films, Madrigal and edén perdido.

When she moved to Madrid at the age of eighteen and got a starring role in a Spanish series called ElEnternado, her portrayal of Carolina Leal, a central character who tended towards hair-raising adventures, began to generate more than local interest.

That show, by the way, is well worth a peek as it shows pretty clearly the potential of the teenager she was at the time. From that series Ana went on to another TV series, Havania, la leyenda, and several short films that didn’t get much attention.

In 2014 Ana took herself and her resume to Los Angeles, figuring that if she wanted a career as an actress in the big time that was her best move. It seems that she figured correctly, and she has the credits to prove it.

She landed quite a few roles in films that did not become blockbusters, in fact some of them virtually disappeared from the movie news, but when she was teamed up with Keanu Reeves in 2015 it was Knock Knock – and here she is.

That film is more a semi-erotic horror story than anything else, but according to Ana it was great fun to make. She told an interviewer that Reeves’ innate tendency to remain aloof in emotional situations – and his dislike of the ‘touchy-feelie’ behavior of fans or even co-stars made it a delightful challenge to try and overreach the boundaries.

There was quite a bit of ad lib action, mostly condoned by director Eli Roth, and overall the film served to highlight Ana’s acting talents.

If you watch a few of her interviews, the contrast between characters she plays and the sweet-faced, guileless young woman is amazing. Ana comes across as a basically untouched and innocent presence, though she has developed a professional surface that may or may not be a veneer.

She’s as wide-eyed and enthusiastic as a kid when speaking to the movie press, but she has no problem projecting powerful emotions – including some serious rage – when the part calls for them.

Of her work in Knock Knock, Ana says that she learned a great deal from Keanu, that the role was challenging but overall a very enjoyable experience. In another interview – in which her Spanish accent is much more pronounced than her screen character’s – she also noted that all of the three main characters in Knock Knock considered themselves victims, which made the action and dialogue believable even though some critics dismissed the film as lacking depth

It’s not only interesting but downright impressive that when Ana first arrived in Los Angeles she barely spoke English. She had already completed filming on Hands of Stone, co-starring with Robert De Niro and Edgar Ramirez.

The ‘boxing flick’ was filmed in Panama and is due for release this month; it’s likely that her role as the wife of Roberto Duran (Ramirez) was one that clinched her determination to find roles featuring strong women with notable contributions to character and plot – not just ‘the wife’.

Ana has another film, due out this week in fact, that leaves something to be desired on that account, but still gives her a chance to demonstrate her considerable acting talents. War Dogs (like Hands of Stone) is based on a true story, this one involving two small-time arms dealers who run afoul of the big guys, i.e. the U. S. government and the competition. She plays the girlfriend in this case, and can hardly be heard over the gunfire and shouting, so we’ll have to wait for the next one, which is also coming soon.

Ana de Armas has stated that she wants to try all kinds of roles . . . “I want to do everything,” she says

So far has offered the best indication of her potential – apart from her lovely person and winsome personality. The carefully guarded details of her latest project allow a lot of conjecture but not much more. It’s already getting substantial publicity, since it’s a sequel to the 1982 hit Sci-Fi thriller . will see Harrison Ford reprising his role as Richard Deckard, and Ana has “a leading role”.

So far Knock Knock has offered the best indication of her potential – apart from her lovely person and winsome personality. The carefully guarded details of her latest project allow a lot of conjecture but not much more. It’s already getting substantial publicity, since it’s a sequel to the 1982 hit Sci-Fi thriller BladeRunner. Blade Runner 2 will see Harrison Ford reprising his role as Richard Deckard, and Ana has “a leading role”.

Exactly what that role is has been kept under wraps, though filming is reportedly underway as of last month. Also starring Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright and Dave Bautista, whose precise roles are also undisclosed at present, the movie is scheduled to be out in October of 2017. When asked about the specifics and her role in the film Ana made one of the most quotable quotes we’ve heard lately- though we’re pretty sure it’s been made before. “It’s the future. Anything can happen,” she said, and that is most certainly the case for Ana de Armas.